


cuz i’ll never sleep alone

by Pixeled



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Developing Relationship, M/M, Past Relationship(s), Past Vincent/Veld, Sleep Walking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-21
Updated: 2019-08-21
Packaged: 2020-09-23 01:10:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20331568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pixeled/pseuds/Pixeled
Summary: The first time Vincent sleep walked, Reeve had been surprised, but by now it had become a regular occurrence.





	cuz i’ll never sleep alone

**Author's Note:**

> Title is from The Mars Volta song “The Widow”

Reeve didn’t know how long it had been since Vincent had come to live with him in his surprisingly modest home. He had his own room, his own space, but Reeve was glad that he was there. It was an arrangement of convenience. Reeve needed Vincent to help him with the WRO and Vincent needed a place to stay. He had been living in a hotel in Kalm before Deepground, but that place was tainted.

Reeve would never get over Vincent in cotton sleep pants and a too-big long sleeved shirt, his long raven hair disheveled with sleep. The shirt was a turtle neck, but still. It was heart-warming to see him do simple things like cook Reeve eggs when he was too busy to have breakfast, engineer plans strewn over his desk, his pencil chewed to the quick.

The first time Vincent sleep walked, Reeve had been surprised, but by now it had become a regular occurrence. Vincent would come walking along Reeve’s bed around 2:30 at night (always 2:30) and then he would drop in along Reeve’s body, pressed in close, his fingers over his heart beat. Sometimes he cried, sometimes he whimpered. Sometimes both. Reeve never woke him up—didn’t want him to know; it might break his heart to know what he did. Vincent never showed that he was vulnerable in his waking life. He acted like nothing phased him, like nothing could shake him to his core, but Reeve knew the truth—he was just as human as the rest of them.

Reeve used to think Vincent was a monolith. A pillar of strength. He still was. He had survived so much. But he had to remind himself—he had never survived. He had died, and that’s why he didn’t look a day over twenty-seven. Vincent had died when he was in his twenties and he still looked the same as that day. It was heart-breaking. Vincent would never age—would outlive all of them. Even Nanaki. His life was like the lifestream, ever flowing, ever long.

So Reeve let him press against his back in the night. Let him cry against him. He knew he needed it—some sort of solace. He always got up in the morning and cradled Vincent in his arms, putting him back in his own bed so he woke up not knowing.

But tonight was different. Vincent woke up.

At first Reeve didn’t know it, but then he felt Vincent stir. He pretended he was still asleep just to see what Vincent might do. Vincent disentangled himself from Reeve and slowly started to move, but Reeve wanted him to know that he was there, that he would always be there for Vincent, as long as he would be allowed, so he turned and took Vincent by the human hand and told him to stay.

“I’m so sorry,” Vincent whispered, dropping Reeve’s hand like it had burned him. Reeve knew he was embarrassed by the way his breathing picked up, by the way his chest tightened against Reeve’s back.

“You sleep walk,” Reeve said bluntly.

“I thought I didn’t do that anymore,” Vincent said, looking away. “I used to do it when I was younger. With Veld.”

The warm summer breeze trailed in through the window. Reeve was silent, contemplating that. He’d known Vincent was hand-picked by Veld, who was the head of the Department of Administrative Research, after his father Grimoire died—it was in his file. Of course Reeve read Vincent’s file. He was curious. It was a missing person file. It had stated “Last known whereabouts: Nibelheim”, where Vincent was sent away from Midgar, but he didn’t know the circumstances of why he was sent away. He was rumored to be one of the best, Veld’s right hand man for a time.

“You know, I read your file,” Reeve said. “It was recovered when the WRO ransacked the ShinRa building’s documents. We needed them to build Edge. I never did get why Veld sent you to Nibelheim in the first place.” Vincent tensed more against Reeve. His past wasn’t an easy thing, and Reeve knew that. But he wanted to know—why it was all set in motion, why Veld had doomed Vincent.

“We were . . . we were . . . involved,” Vincent said in a low voice. “There was a job. I messed up. I almost got killed. They were trying to off Veld. Veld said I was too close to him. So he sent me away. Nibelheim was supposed to be an easy job. Something even a fuck up could do—be a bodyguard. It was supposed to be boring. I fucked that up too.”

“You should forgive yourself,” Reeve said, “Forgive yourself for all of it. You’re human.”

“I’m not, Reeve,” Vincent said. “I’m a monster. You let a monster into your bed.”

“Maybe it’s where you should be,” Reeve said, smiling warmly.


End file.
